Howl
by Skiltch
Summary: When wolves start acting evil, the X-men call back Rahne to go to a town to research. But what happens when the townsfolk aren't entirely trustworthy themselves?
1. Prologue

Howl

Chapter 1

AN: This is going to be a little different than usual… I won't give away too much, suffice to say that this is oriented around Rahne, Sam, and an OC.

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evo. or its character. I do own my new characters. And again, I don't know anything about the Scottish accent, so I can't write it. Sorry.

A familiar face entered the living room.

"Rahne!" Sam jumped up and embraced the werewolf as everyone else gathered to say hello.

Rahne reciprocated the hug, then turned to look at the others. "Moria said I could stay for a couple of weeks, so… here I am."

Roberto DeCosta looked up from a soccer game. "Great to see you. Hey, maybe you could settle an argument between Bobby and I…"

Rahne sighed. "This place never changes, does it?"

5 Jamies had wandered downstairs. "Rahne! You're back! Yay!" They all cried as they launched themselves at her, toppling her over.

Storm entered the room, and saw a figure covered in Jamies. "Jamies, please get up. You told me to remind you when your cartoon was on, and I don't want you to cry at me later."

Rahne rolled her eyes again as the Jamies moved.

"Ah, Rahne. Xavier was expecting you. He would like to see you in his office."

Rahne nodded, waved to her friends, and headed upstairs.

***

"Rahne. It is good to see you again."

Rahne Sinclair looked at the Professor. "I agree. But what was it that made you want to send for me? Aunt Moria seemed pretty reluctant to let me stay as of last month, and she doesn't change her mind often."

Xavier spoke his next words slowly. "Rahne, it would appear that we have been having a… problem with wolves lately. Wolves in the United States have been growing more territorial, attacking humans, that kind of thing. We thought that you could help us find out why."

Rahne looked at Xavier incredulously. "Professor, really! This might seem very funny, but it's not. I think I would probably have noticed if wolves were becoming more vicious while I was here last. I am a werewolf, after all."

Xavier sighed. "That's the strange thing. This has all happened within about a week, and it appears to be spreading. We discovered a new mutant a couple days ago in Brazil, but when we found him, he had been torn apart by wolves. And he wasn't near their territory either. This is very serious, Rahne. We need your help."

Rahne still looked troubled. "You want me to talk to local wolves? I'm not of their pack. They'd attack me."

"No." the Professor said. "We've identified the central point where wolves first started acting up. It's in a small town in Pennsylvania called, oddly enough, Howl. They don't have very much outside contact. I haven't been able to find out anything, other than the population is about 80. They have a couple grocery stores, a pharmacy, a general store, a church, a diner, and that's about it. They import most of their food from confidential suppliers." Xavier looked at Rahne. "That's about all we know. We'd like you to go there for a week."

Rahne thought a minute more. "Would anyone be going with me? This sounds like something that backup would be required for. Hostile wolf packs might not want to talk with me."

Xavier nodded. "Moria and I discussed this. We're going to send all the New Mutants but Jamie and Forge with you. That should give you sufficient backup, as well as making the trip a bit more pleasant."

Rahne sighed. "When do I leave?"

***

Two days later, Rahne and co. were packed up in the X-Jet.

Settling down, Rahne saw Sam pick the seat across from her. "So… how's life been treating you?"

The question was so unexpected that Sam burst out laughing. "Sorry about that. But nothing much. You?"

Rahne shook her head. "It's good to be back, Sam. I feel at home among you guys. Even if this mission is a dumb idea."

Sam grinned. "This is different from other times… how?"

Rahne chuckled.

Beast's voice came on over the headset. "Kids, remember, please don't reveal your powers unless you absolutely have to. Last time you went off alone, you managed to reveal to the entire population of Detroit your new abilities. I had to work all night fixing that up."

Sam smiled and turned to Rahne. "The Detroit mission was one of our more interesting ones."

Behind them, Tabitha laughed. "Interesting? It was great! We got to blow lots of stuff up!"

Rahne sighed. "When did she come back?" she asked Sam.

Sam shrugged. "When the mansion blew up."

Rahne decided it was better not to ask.

And then… she caught a whiff of some scent. It smelled… strange.

Twisting he head to find it, her gaze landed on Sam. Suddenly, her head felt like it was being invaded.

_He's in your territory! Kill him! Eat him! Rip him apart!_

Rahne pressed her hands over her head and whimpered.

_Kill! Kill! Kill them all!  
_"Rahne? Rahne?"

The scent faded, and Rahne gasped for air.

"Rahne! Are you okay?"

Rahne turned. She had slumped to the floor, and Sam was standing over her. The others kids looked at her from their seats.

Rahne nodded and struggled back into her seat.

Sam looked at her. "What was that?"

Rahne shook her head. "I don't know… I don't know. I'll be fine, okay? Let's change the subject…"

Within minutes, Rahne's collapse had been forgotten by all but Rahne.

But is wouldn't stay forgotten long…

AN: Please review. 


	2. Enter the town

Howl 

Chapter 2

AN: Hi everyone! Thanks to all of the reviewers. 

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evo. or the X-men characters. I do own Kyle, Jessica, the town of Howl, and the basic plot. Please ask before borrowing.

The X-Jet landed on a deserted highway. 

"Why are we here instead of at the town?" Rahne asked.

Sam smiled. "Beast decided not to let us go over towns ever since the Boston mission."

"Boston mission?"

"Tabitha decided to see how many energy bombs she could drop over the city before passing out. She lost consciousness after 5."

Rahne blinked. "Only?"

"Well, Logan pinched her on a pressure point, then forcibly threw her into the back of the craft."

"Oh."

Beast called out from the Jet, "Just go up the road until you get to the town. Check into the hotel and try to find some cause for the wolves' strange behavior. I'll come back in a week. And please… don't screw up."

Rahne, the team leader, nodded.

Tabitha gave a wide grin.

Beast, looking pale with fear of what would undoubtedly go wrong with the mission, got inside the Jet. It took off and disappeared over the horizon.

Unsurprisingly, Amara was the first one to complain as the group set off over the road. "A princess should never have to carry her own pack. Another should carry it."

Bobby shrugged. "None of your servants around here, m'lady, so I guess you'll have to make do."

Amara glowered.

Rahne held up her hand. "Guys, attention please. We're going to be researching wolves here. Be careful. Considering my in-depth knowledge, I think that I can safely say that wolves are very dangerous when you enter their territory. And even more so as of late."

Bobby threw a mock-salute.

Rahne smiled.

"Ahoy!"

The X-men looked off to the side to see two figures approaching. The first was a boy of about average height with brown hair, brown eyes, and a beard. The girl on his left was slightly shorter with brown hair and black eyes.

The boy ran up to the X-men. "Hi. I'm Kyle, and this is my sister Jessica. Who are you? And, for that matter, what are you doing here? We don't get many visitors."

Rahne spoke. "I'm Rahne Sinclair, and these are Ray, Sam, Amara, Roberto, Tabitha, and dope… uh, Bobby."

Bobby yelped. "Hey!"

Kyle and Sam chuckled.

"We're heading into the town up the road, Howl. We were sent to research wolf activity in the area." Rahne finished.

Kyle and Jessica looked at each other for a moment. Then Kyle nodded. "Come with us. We live in Howl; we'll take you there, get you situated. Due to a recent mining accident, a few of the older people in the town got pretty badly hurt, so you may see kids doing jobs their parents would normally do." Interestingly enough, Kyle did not seem very sad about the deaths. "Don't be concerned."

The X-men nodded.

Kyle and Rahne took the front, and Jessica dropped to the back with Roberto, Amara, and Tabitha. Jessica spoke first, saying, "So, where did you come from? It's always good to get new… blood in the town, but it can be nice to know those people's backgrounds."

Roberto shrugged. "I'm from Brazil, I moved to New York recently… and now I'm here. Not much about me."

Jessica's eyes brightened. "Ah, Brazil! Soccer is big there, right?"

Roberto chuckled. "You could say that."

"Perhaps we could shoot against each other? There isn't much competition in this little town." Jessica said.

Roberto nodded. _I'll go easy on her._ He thought.

__

He's in trouble. Jessica thought.

***

"Here we are. Howl hotel. Don't mind the state of repair, we've been meaning to fix it."

Amara sighed as she stared at the dilapidated building, even as Kyle kept talking.

"The diner is just down the street. Since Jessica's parents were injured in the mine collapse, Jessica is running the place now. She and her cooks make a mean burger. I'd advise ordering it rare. Quite good."

Rahne smiled. _Rare meat! Yay!_

Kyle continued. "Oh, I must advise you not to go out at night. Wolves around here, but I'm sure you knew that from your research. Quite territorial."

Sam nodded. "We'll remember."

Kyle shrugged. "Not much else to tell you. Go in, check in, get yourselves set up. If you want, I'll join you for dinner in an hour. Not much in this town besides the grocery stores and the diner, I'm afraid, but it should suffice."

Jessica slapped him. "Suffice?"

Kyle grinned.

Bobby had a question, "Why do you have multiple grocery stores for only eighty people?"

Kyle was a bit slow in answering that one. "Well… we have our meat in one and our vegetables in another. Can't get them mixed…"

Jessica stepped in. "We've found that meat tastes much better the longer you wait to put it with vegetables. Can't risk contamination."

Kyle looked grateful.

Amara stepped into the hotel. "If we must sleep here… could we go in? My back hurts."

All eight other kids rolled their eyes.

***

In an hour, Rahne and her friends were ready to go.

Entering the diner, Jessica looked up and greeted them. "Hi! Seat yourselves, it's a slow night. Orders?"

Rahne held up her hands. "Wait! We don't even know what you sell!"

Jessica smiled. "Oh. Sorry, I'm used to the regulars. Well, call when ready."

Ray had already opened up the menu. "Hmm… lots of burgers on here. And steaks. And chops. Doesn't seem to be too much non-meat stuff here."

Amara looked through the menu. "Gross! They must have about five things without meat on this entire menu! Why did I leave Nova Roma? Why?"

Rahne shook with silent laughter. 

Kyle entered the diner. "Howdy!"

Jessica waved at him. "Usual?"

Kyle nodded. "Yep." Then he went to sit with the X-men.

Jessica looked at Sam. "You ready to order? Your menu's down."

Sam nodded. "Barbecued burger, medium rare."

Rahne whispered to him, "Medium rare? Wimp!"

Sam smiled, then playfully cuffed her on the head.

Meanwhile, the others were ordering.

"I suppose I'll have the regular hamburger, medium." Said Ray.

Amara nodded. "Me too."

Bobby said, "I want the strip steak."

And so it went, until Rahne's turn.

"I'll have the west style burger, rare, and…"

That scent again. And again she twisted, as inconspicuously as possible, to find it. And again she saw Sam…

"To drink I'll… uh…"

_Kill! Kill! Kill!_

"Uh…"

_Kill the intruder! Kill! Kill!_

Sam noticed Rahne's freezing again, and quickly tried to cover for her. "We'll both have a soda, I'll have diet… Jessica?"

Indeed, Jessica was looking at Sam strangely. It was hard to tell, but it seemed that Jessica was looking at him… almost animal-like.

Sam turned to Kyle, only to see that he too was having some sort of problem. He was hiding it well, but Sam could tell that Kyle's movements seemed mch more jerked and sudden then they had in the past, as if he was focusing as hard as possible on something…

And then suddenly all three snapped out of it.

Rahne shook her head to clear it. "I'll have a diet sprite."

Jessica nodded, took the rest of the orders, and left, seeming a bit shaken.

Kyle wrote something down on a slip of paper and slipped it into his pocket. "Well, Roberto, I heard you challenged my sister to a soccer game. Now, fair warning, she's beat the town…"

Sam looked around, but it didn't seem that anyone else had noticed the townsfolk or Rahne freezing up.

Sam leaned over to Rahne. "Are you okay?"

Rahne thought about what to tell Sam, and decided to lie. "Fine, fine. I think lunch disagreed with me."

Sam uneasily nodded.

***

Later, in the hotel, Sam and Bobby has gotten a room together.

"Bobby, did you notice anything strange at dinner?"

Bobby shook his head. "I was talking to Amara. In fact, I think all of us but you were, because we'd all ordered. Why?"

Sam rolled over. "I think she froze again, like on the Jet. In fact, so did Kyle and Jessica."

Bobby thought. "No, I remember Kyle said something in our conversation. It seemed kind of forced, but Kyle didn't freeze up."

Sam rolled on his back. "I hope you're right…"


	3. Day 2

Howl

Chapter 3

AN: Augh! My disk broke and this chapter died. So I have to retype it. Waah!

Disclaimer: Go back a few

The next morning was a bright and sunny one. Rahne Sinclair looked out of her window, enjoying the sun as it played over her face. The werewolf sighed in contentment.

Tabitha walked in. "Rise and shine, wolfgirl. Lots to do."

Rahne smiled. "Since it's you, I assume that this 'lots to do' involves blowing stuff up and seducing some local male?"

Tabitha nodded. "Yup!" Then she grew serious. "What should we do today? We haven't found any clues about this wolf thing yet."

"We should try to find the mayor." Rahne said. "He'll know where the town's archives are. They might say."

Tabitha agreed. "That sounds good."

Amara entered the room. "Ugh! My clothes are all dirty and sooty! A princess should never have to undergo such conditions."

Rahne thought of the beginnings of a prank. "Don't worry Amara. We're washing our clothes today down the road, right Tab?"

Amara sighed in relief.

Tabitha caught on. "Yeah. In the swamp. I think they cleared out a place for us, got most of the algae out and stuff."

Amara turned white and fled as the other two girls broke out into hysterical laughter.

After dressing, Tabitha and Rahne exited their room, only to run into an exhausted-looking Kyle. "Ah, girls. The boys already left, they just told me to tell you that they're going to look in the woods today and try to examine the local wolf pack. I decided not to tell them that it'll likely be the wolves examining them, but oh well. Why don't you head to the diner with me?"

Tabitha nodded and went to get her purse, but Rahne had a question. "Are you all right? You look exhausted."

Kyle nodded. "A late-night stroll. They're tiring, I know, but they're really fun. It's not safe to leave the town, but there's a nice spot on the border, a small hill that isn't dangerous. Great view of the night sky."

Tabitha came back. "I'm here. Let's collect Amara and head out for a fun day!"

***

The four kids entered the diner as Jessica greeted them. 

"Welcome, welcome. Your friends left, but I'm still open for an hour for breakfast. What'll it be?"

Glancing over the menu as she seated herself, Rahne again realized that most of the dishes involved meat. "I'll have what I had yesterday. I'm hungry."

"Eggs and bacon." Tabitha.

"I'll have a rare burger too." Kyle.

"Uh… I suppose I'll have just eggs." Amara finished.

As Jessica went to the back to prepare their orders, Rahne turned to Kyle. "So, Kyle, who's the mayor here?"

Kyle blushed. "Uh… actually, I am."

All the girls looked at him in shock, but it was Tabitha who said, "Kyle, you're about sixteen years old."

Kyle shrugged. "Here, we appoint people to various offices based on ability, not age. Jessica's cook because she's the best cook in town after her parents were injured. Old Mr. Carlin is the meat grocer because he's good at picking out quality meat. I'm mayor because I manage very well."

Rahne said, "I wish we had systems more like that in mainstream society."

Kyle chuckled. 

Tabitha leaned over to Kyle. "So Kyle," she said, "where exactly are the town's archives? We'd like to look through them."

Kyle blanched as Jessica brought out the food. "Uh… I'm afraid I can't let you look at those. They're secret town property."

This was so ridiculous that Tabitha began to choke on the piece of bacon she was eating. After gulping it down, she said, "No, really. What's the point of archives if no one can see them?"

Kyle shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. I'm truly sorry, but it's town policy."

Rahne sighed. "What can you show us?"

Kyle thought. "Not that much. A couple surveys of the town, government records, that sort of thing. But the stuff that you're looking for is probably not there." He shrugged helplessly.

Tabitha leaned over close to him. "Are you… sure?" she whispered seductively.

Rahne had to hold back a laugh.

Kyle began to look uncomfortable, but he said, "Yes, quite." He put some money on the table, rose, and left, leaving the girls staring after him.

***

The boys were not having much luck in the woods.

"That's poison ivy, genius!" Roberto said.

Bobby groaned as he began to itch. He looked down to see that he was standing square in the middle of a giant path. Looking back to see the others comfortably waiting for him, he called, "Thanks for telling me so quickly!"

Roberto laughed. "Sure, no problem."

Ray looked at the map as Bobby extracted himself from his position. "The mine's over that way. Let's go there."

As the team moved on, Bobby began to notice a wolf following them. He tried to point it out as subtly as he could.

"Guys! Wolf behind us!"

Bobby was not the subtle type. 

The wolf seemed to perk up upon hearing itself be mentioned. It gracefully jumped over them, landing on the path leading to the mine. Bobby tried to go around it, but it moved to be between him and the path regardless.

"Watch the pro." Ray fired a bolt of electricity… and it passed right by the wolf, which dodged expertly.

Blinking back surprise, Roberto tried firing sun energy, which was met with similar results.

"See you later!" Sam backed up and charged, accelerating to supersonic speeds. He began to zoom… and was knocked aside by another wolf jumping up from over the hill and hitting him. Out of control, he smashed into a tree. "Oww…"

Bobby took command. "Retreat!"

The kids ran back the way they came with the unusually smart wolves nipping at their heels. Literally. "Ow!" Bobby cried.

Arriving back in town, the boys gasped for breath. The wolves crept back into the undergrowth as the kids staggered towards the lake for water.

***

"Nothing here." Rahne said, in what seemed to be a very common phrase that day.

Tabitha, Amara, and Rahne had been searching through government records for hours. Aside from the occasional reference to the local wolf packs, always described as "cunning," "vicious," and "very unique," there was no useful information in what Kyle had been able to procure.

"I need a nap." Amara said.

Tabitha smiled. "Excellent! A breakout attempt!"

Rahne groaned. "No. No breakout attempt. I'm saving all my energy for that run tonight."

"Come on, girl." Tabitha said. "You don't need energy to outwit some slow-witted inhuman wolves! You're them plus a human. That's like a 100% advantage. You could probably beat 'em with your eyes closed!"

Rahne shook her head. "Never underestimate the ferocity of a wolf."

Kyle walked in. "Find anything?"

Even as Rahne shook her head no, she found herself wondering if Kyle had been eavesdropping on them. In which case he would, at best, think them insane and, at worst, know the truth.

But Kyle didn't seem to be acting differently, so Rahne pushed the thought out of her mind. "So what have you been up to…" She said.

***

It was 7:00. Rahne was stretching before her run as darkness began to fall.

"Be careful." Sam walked in.

Rahne laughed. "When have I not been careful?"

Sam nodded. "Well… happy hunting."

Rahne thanked him and left the room, heading into the woods… and a giant adventure.


	4. Night 2

Howl

Chapter 4

AN: Not much to say, I guess.

Disclaimer: See Chap. 1

Rahne walked downstairs and out the door of the hotel, heading into the woods. As soon as she was gone from the sight of the town, she stowed her journal in an old log – she enjoyed writing about her experiences as a wolf immediately after her runs – and wolf-morphed.

Immediately, the world shifted perspective. She saw with the eyes of a wolf, seeing shapes more than colors, temperature more than texture. She smelled various small, nocturnal animals out on their walks, as well as a couple larger beasts to the far south. After taking a moment to get her bearings, she went off into the forest proper.

Running at full speed, the werewolf enjoyed the sensation of the air running over her, around her. She heard the _pitter-patter, pitter-patter_ of some raccoon, and marveled at how she was able to pinpoint the creature's location almost exactly. _I haven't done this for far too long_, she thought.

Then, she ran into another wolf.

Rahne jumped back in fear, suppressing the wolf's instinct to fight. Interestingly, the other wolf didn't attack Rahne, but stared at her, almost curiously. 

_Hang on_, Rahne thought. _Wolves aren't curious! At least not normally. This one should – by all means – be attacking me_.

But the wolf instead wandered off into the foliage.

Rahne was torn. On one hand, her enjoyment of the run would probably be diminished if she followed the wolf. On the other hand, though, the wolf's bizarre behavior could help explain the recent wolf madness.

_But wait_, Rahne muttered, in short yips. _If the madness makes wolves more territorial, this one should have attacked anyway! This makes no sense!_

Shaking off the sensation, Rahne decided to travel on her own route. Soon, the scent of the other wolf had faded, and –

_Huh?_ Rahne was confused. _That wolf smelled really familiar! I'm seriously creeped out now._

Deciding to terminate her run, Rahne turned around to head back to her journal. But suddenly…

She smelled an absolutely enchanting smell. A lovely smell. 

She had to see where it was coming from. Rahne, barely in control of her thoughts, turned again and ran to where the scent was strongest.

And when the killing urges came to her head, Rahne didn't resist at all.

***

Rahne stared up at the moon, a bloody raccoon in her mouth. She felt as if a fog was clearing from her head.

_Where am I? How'd I get over here? What… what is a raccoon doing in my mouth?_ She spat the thing out, only to see that she had eaten almost all of it, leaving behind only a skeleton.

_What just happened_? Rahne started to walk back towards her starting point, tracking it by virtue of her nose, but she was still confused as to her exact location. This place, an absolutely gorgeous overhang with a river below it and beautiful trees spaced back about a hundred feet, hadn't been on any of the surveys.

Then she realized it. _Oh no… the madness hit me_. Rahne's stomach lurched at the thought. _Stay calm… I've got to get out of this town as soon as possible. Tonight, maybe._ She began to run, ignoring the scenery so as to concentrate more on running.

And again she saw the wolf. But this time it was pacing her.

Rahne didn't have time to worry about the strange actions of the wolf. She just ran harder – and the wolf matched her pace.

Rahne practically flew past the log that held her journal, past the hill that Kyle had mentioned, past the other buildings, not stopping until she was in the hotel. She demorphed as quickly as possible as ran upstairs and into her room.

Flopping onto her bed, Rahne checked her watch. Midnight. _What the… that madness had me for two hours!_ Rahne had never planned to be out that late. _Sam must be so worried!_

Rahne got up and went to Sam's room, and found him sitting on the bed, still very much awake. When she entered, Sam jumped up and embraced her. "Rahne! I was worried! What happened?"

"Sam…" Rahne decided to tell the truth. "Sam, the madness hit me. I mean, it's hit me before, but this time it had me. I need to get out of here."

Sam gasped, and tugged Rahne onto the bed as he sat down himself. "Calm down. I'll call Xavier."

Rahne nodded. "Yes… yes. Call Xavier." She had to fight the urge to drop into a deep sleep where she lay.

Sam noticed. "You sleep here tonight, I'll go to your room. You seem too tired to move. I'll call the Professor, we'll get you out of here by noon tomorrow." The human cannonball walked out the door.

Rahne barely had the strength to drag herself to a pillow. _So tired…_

***

"What? She needs it!" Sam almost yelled.

"Sam, we simply cannot evacuate Rahne at this time. We need her to help us understand the crisis."

Sam fought to control his temper. "Let me get this straight. You're putting a girl who can be controlled by some insanity virus into the virus's epicenter. You then decide, even when confronted with the fact that she will possibly _die_ by staying here, to have her stay, just so that some other, non-sentient wolves, can live easier. Am I right?"

The Professor's voice sounded defeated. "Sam. I will be brutally honest. A settlement in England was attacked by wolves this night. She is not safe anywhere. Her proximity to the disease is irrelevant."

Sam groaned as the Professor continued. "We must understand this virus. The townsfolk may be secretive, but you simply have to learn why the epidemic started here. And, in the meantime, tell her that I am very disappointed in her for going out against the wishes of the townsfolk and all common sense." Xavier hung up.

Sam put down the phone as he thought. Xavier had a good point for the last part. Why _had_ Rahne felt such a need to go out? She hadn't felt it yesterday.

Sitting down, Sam thought some more. _What if… no, that's dumb. Rahne wouldn't do that!_ But the thought remained. Rahne had been with Kyle and the other girls for a long time today. Kyle knew the woods, and Sam had heard through Tabitha that the boy also enjoyed night hikes. What if Kyle had asked Rahne to walk with him? Rahne had seemed to like Kyle a lot… 

Sam shook his head. He knew Rahne well enough to know that she wouldn't cheat on him. Rahne was certainly telling the truth: that she had gone for a run, been taken by the madness, and had wound up across the woods. Definitely.

Right?


	5. Surprise

Howl 

Chapter 5

AN: Hello again.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone that you've seen elsewhere.

Rahne staggered out of bed, still tired from last night. However, before she could get to the bathroom to throw some cold water on her face, Sam walked in.

"When's the evac?" Rahne asked.

Sam sighed. "Rahne… I'm sorry but…" he quickly explained the situation. As he talked, Rahne began to cry. Sam began to stroke her back and head, in the way she liked when she was a wolf. "Don't worry, we'll think of something…"

Rahne grabbed on to Sam. "I'm scared, Sam. What if there is no cure? I'll have to leave. I'm too dangerous." She tried to get up, but Sam held her back.

"Come on, Rahne, cheer up. You know Forge will build something, don't you? And the Professor has megabucks, he'll pay for whatever it is that you need." He continued to pet the werewolf.

Rahne looked up. "You think so?"

Sam nodded.

Rahne stood, slowly and shakily. "In that case… I'm rather hungry. Let's wake the others, and go to the diner."

Sam laughed. "Hang on! Why wake the others and have them spoil the meal? I've got money, let's go as soon as we get changed!"

Rahne looked at Sam's plaid pajamas. "Good idea. I don't think Kyle would allow you to stay in this town with plaid."

"Oh, I suppose you're the expert, Miss Orange Polka-Dot?"

"Stop it!"

The two friends broke into laughter.

***

Kyle had been intrigued since last night, when he'd seen a strange wolf in the woods. He always went into the woods at night, sleeping during the day while his advisor handled most of the duties. Lately, thought, he'd barely had time for a nap all day long, what with the kids and all. He'd figured it best just to oblige them for a week and have them leave, but that new wolf changed everything. Kyle was sure it was one of them.

_What did they say_? Kyle thought back to the day before, when he'd overheard the girls joking about a werewolf. He'd thought it just that – a joke – but he was doubting it now. _It wasn't that snotty princess, or that nut. Was it Rahne, then, the Scottish girl? I'll have to trick her into being with me tonight to be sure. Or I could use my charm to trick her into confessing. I hope she is a werewolf – I'll be able to say so much._

Looking over the top of his menu, Kyle saw Rahne and her boyfriend enter the diner. _Great_.

Rahne, meanwhile, was more concerned with keeping an iron grip on her feelings at all times. She knew from the woods that anger could destroy any hope she had of resisting the madness, so she was trying as hard as possible not to lose her temper.

"Over here!"

Rahne saw Kyle waving at them. Swiveling, she saw Sam attempting to suppress a grimace, followed by him starting to walk over to Kyle's table. Shrugging, Rahne followed.

After a few minutes of small talk, Jessica came to take the order. Having been talked to by Kyle, Jessica decided to help her brother by calling off one of the kids. "Hey you, Sam, is it? Could you come to the back? We need an out-of-town opinion."

Sam had no clue what was going on, but uneasily gave his assent.

As soon as Sam had exited the dining room, Kyle turned to Rahne. _If I can surprise her, she might reveal herself_. "You're a werewolf, am I right?"

_WHAT?_ Rahne was completely taken off guard. "Uh, uh, uh, of course not!"

Kyle allowed a triumphant smile to grace his face. "Nice try."

Rahne grabbed Kyle's arm, which was lying on the table. She leaned over to look straight into Kyle's eyes. "Kyle, _please_ don't tell anyone. No one is supposed to know at all. _Please_."

Kyle nodded. "Hey, your secret's safe with me, Rahne. But, I think that I have something that might surprise even you… would you consent to meeting me at the border of the forest at nine tonight?"

Rahne looked at Kyle strangely. "But I change at night. Or I'm supposed to. I've learned to partially control it."

Kyle winked. "Just agree. I'll make it way worth your while."

Rahne nodded uneasily, acutely aware that Kyle could effectively blackmail her into anything.

It was at that moment that Sam returned, barbecue sauce all over his face.

"Kyle, your sister is rather… stubborn. I asked to not taste the sauce, and she poured it on me!" 

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Rahne laughed.

Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm glad _someone_ thinks it's funny."

***

In the day's search, which involved going into the next town to see if their library held any useful information, Rahne could barely concentrate. Tabitha, of course, didn't want to even try.

"Forget this." Tabitha slammed a book shut. "I'm getting some fresh air. Anyone want to join me?"

Rahne shook her head. "I've got to finish this book--"

That scent again.

_Kill! Destroy them! Eat them!_

Rahne felt herself growing slightly faint. "Uh…"

_Slaughter! You did it before! Do it now!_

Rahne barely noticed when Sam touched her back. "It's okay Rahne… we're here… we're friends…"

Rahne felt her breathing return to normal, albeit slowly. "Yeah… yeah."

Tabitha put her hands on her hips. "All right girl, what's this all about?"

"Nothing. Why?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Denial has been logged and recorded. Now, what really happened?"

Sam spoke for Rahne. "This madness… it's affecting her. And it's worldwide."

Rahne nodded, slumped in depression.

Roberto, from across the table, smiled. "Hey, don't worry! We're here for you!"

"Yeah, I guess." Rahne was still sad.

Sam thought quickly. "There's an ice-cream parlor across the street. I'll treat you. Come on, let's go!."

The human cannonball and the depressed werewolf left the library.

***

Rahne dressed in a simple jogging outfit that evening.

Sam looked into her room. "You can't tell me you're running again? After last night?"

"I have to." Rahne said. "Just trust me."

Sam nodded uneasily. "At least take the cell phone. Carry it in your mouth or something."

Rahne gave a mock salute. "Sir!"

Sam allowed a smile to cross his features before saying, "Be careful."

Rahne climbed out of her bed and kissed Sam. "I will."

Then she left the room.

***

Standing at the edge of town, Rahne looked around uneasily.

"Hi."

Rahne swiveled abruptly to see Kyle standing behind her. "Let's get moving, shall we?"

As Rahne and Kyle moved into the woods, Rahne began to feel her body urging her to change. The full moon was tomorrow night, but the moon was bright enough now to cause her to change if she wasn't careful.

Standing at the edge of the clearing, Rahne felt a push on her back. She stumbled into the field. _Why would he push me_?

The reason became obvious. Rahne suddenly felt the wolf in her rising more powerfully. _Kyle must have set up mirrors to reflect the moon into the field directly!_ As moonbeams shone directly on her back, Rahne found that she couldn't resist the wolf getting out. Falling to all fours, she felt her fur sprouting, her mouth shifting, her senses changing.

Rahne turned to face the town mayor, prepared to show him that angered werewolves were rather violent. But as Kyle walked into the clearing, Rahne's anger turned to shock. _What the--_

AN: I know it's not exactly a cliffhanger, but please review anyway!


	6. Run

Howl 

Chapter 6

AN: Hi. Thanks to all who reviewed. I appreciate it.

~wolf speak~

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone that looks familiar.

Rahne looked on as Kyle's body began to get hairier. Kyle's face shifted until it resembled Rahne's. The mayor fell to all fours as the rest of his body became wolflike, until Kyle was a strikingly handsome wolf male. Striding over the dropped cell phone, Kyle looked at Rahne proudly.

~What… how…~ Rahne yipped. 

Kyle turned to Rahne. ~Surprised? Let's run.~ The mayor took off at a fast trot, and Rahne began to pace him.

~I guess you know what my first question is.~ said Rahne. ~How were you able to--~

~Escape detection?~ The mayor yipped. ~Easy. I'm not really supposed to tell outsiders this, but…~

Rahne blinked in surprise, and almost ran into a tree. ~Jessica's a werewolf too?~

Kyle gave the wolf equivalent of a laugh, a high pitched barking sound. ~Better. This _town_ is a werewolf town. We're all werewolves. Didn't you know?~

Rahne was shocked. _How could eighty-odd mutants escape Cerebro? And other humans?_ ~How would I have known?~

~I said I saw you in the woods last night.~ Kyle began. ~The only way I could have escaped detection by wolf senses is if I was someone else – the wolf me. The large quantities of meat on the diner menu. The separate grocery stores. You really didn't guess?~

Rahne shook her head. ~This is all happening so fast. An hour ago, I was sure that I was the only werewolf in existence, the only mutant with this special power --~

~Mutant?~ Kyle yipped as they began to climb a hill. ~That explains it. Jessica was saying the other day that you guys had special powers. One of her friends, Catherine, backed her up on that. I didn't believe it, but there you go.~

Rahne was confused. ~How could Jessica be out during the daylight? I can, but I've had professional training, in a sense. And what do you mean, you're not a mutant? What are you?~

~First, Jessica is one of the rare few among us who has a large degree of control over her wolfishness.~ Kyle said. ~We really don't know why, but that's how it goes. As for mutations, we're not one of you. We're just a bunch of wolf/human hybrids who found our way here.~

~A colony… of those like me…~ Rahne mused.

The two of them ran in silence for a while, stopping when they got to the cliff that Rahne had been to last night.

The cliff jogged Rahne's memory. ~If you're a werewolf town, then you must have--~

~The cure?~ Kyle asked. ~Almost. But there's a few problems.~

Rahne felt like crying. ~Oh…~ She utterly failed at hiding her sadness.

~Now, now, hang on. We _can_ cure it, for one person. We've all taken it. But we can't inoculate the world.~ Kyle said. ~I can give you the cure when we get back to town. You'll be surprised.~

~What's the cure?!~ Rahne barked.

Kyle winced. ~Calm down! The cure… is a very complex mixture of local plants, combined with a few crushed dandelions.~

~Dandelions?~

~Dandelions.~ Kyle said. ~We think that wolfsbane is related to this problem – you know, that plant that werewolves can't go near. So, since dandelions take over the land of wolfsbane, we found adding it to a certain tea grants us protection from the madness for about a week.~

Rahne felt like she could kiss Kyle. ~Kyle… I don't know what to say…~

~Don't be thankful yet. We still have the problems with other wolves, and the tea is immensely difficult to whip up. Jessica's the only living one I know who has done it right. Ask her tomorrow. But, yeah, we could use your help.~

Something hit Rahne. ~But Kyle… it might not work. I'm not a real werewolf, I'm just a mutant.~

Kyle thought. ~You're probably right, then. I'm sorry, Rahne. But I think I do have some better news, in that case. This madness has afflicted us for many years, and as soon as we get a chef that can cook the brew, the previous one dies. But… Rahne, I think it's only affecting you and the others because of a remarkably complex number of circumstances.~

Kyle continued. ~One: the full moon. Two: a certain ceremony tomorrow. Three: the mine collapse. Four: Very strong winds, as of late. Rahne, I think I might be able to puzzle this out tomorrow. But I can make no promises, unfortunately. Still… we might beat this.~

Rahne slowly nodded, even as she jumped a fallen branch. ~I guess. I'm just scared that I'll be afflicted with this forever. Despite all you can do.~

Kyle gave the wolf equivalent of a smile. ~Don't be.~

Rahne and Kyle sat, for over a half-hour, just sitting at the moon. Periodically, one of them would let loose a howl, which would be answered by other howls from elsewhere in the woods, and once in the direction of the town. 

The town. ~Kyle, I've got to get back! I'm supposed to be back in thirty minutes!~

The town mayor gave a wolf-laugh. ~Let's go, then!~

The two werewolves ran at speeds that were fast even for them, taking a journey that had originally been an hour in half that time. Stopping at the spot where the cell phone lay, Kyle raised a paw right before Rahne demorphed.

~Hey, Rahne. Come back tomorrow. There's something that you've gotta see at the ceremony.~

The mayor demorphed and jogged off.

Rahne stared after him.

***

Sam was worried. Sure, Rahne wasn't late yet, but it was getting within a few minutes of when she should be back. He began to pace. _Why isn't she here yet? Did she get the madness again?_

Rahne then walked in. "Pacing already? I'm not even late!"

Sam hadn't realized that he had been sweating, but he felt a dampness on his head. "Rahne… that was nerve-wracking. There's still the madness! You could have gotten it again!"

Rahne held out a hand. "Sam, I'm fine. Calm down."

Sam nodded as he sat. "Yeah… yeah. But please, don't do that again, okay? Please?"

Rahne, at the moment, was far too tired to remember what Kyle had said. "Okay."


	7. Soccer and Wolves

Howl

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Go back to Chap. 1

It was nine in the morning. Rahne sat in the diner, choking down what the werewolves used for an antidote to the madness.

Apparently, the antidote worked by killing the consumer, so they couldn't be crazy anymore.

Sputtering, Rahne managed to hold her mouth shut until the last of the terrible tasting liquid went down her throat. "Blech… Jessica, could I please have a soda? Or something to wash this down with? This tea that Kyle recommended isn't what I thought."

Roberto, Rahne's dining companion, smiled. "We told you, Rahne, never drink the local stuff. But oh no, you wouldn't listen…"

Rahne rolled her eyes as Roberto kept talking.

"Where do you think Sam and the others went?" asked Roberto, changing the topic. The two diners had found a note saying that the other X-men had gone to search the mine. "I can't imagine that they went to the mine without consulting Kyle for a map, and I don't think he's even up yet."

The mayor in question walked in, circles under his eyes. 

Roberto slapped his head. "I never get to be right."

"I'll have the woodland tea, Jess." he said. "Ah, Rahne, did you try the tea? Quite good."

Rahne eyed him strangely. "What?!"

"Well, you get used to it after a while, so to me it's good." Kyle smiled as he sat down. After several minutes of small talk, he said, "And you, Roberto, when will you play my sister? She's been waiting quite a while, you know."

Roberto laughed. "Bring her on! I'll play her right when she's done serving your tea. She's got assistants, right?"

"I can play now, then. Kyle, your tea is ready." The chef put down the cup and left the diner. Roberto, smiling, followed.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Kyle leaned closer to Rahne, to avoid being overheard by the few other patrons in the diner. "Rahne, will you be there tonight?"

"Huh?"

"The woods." Kyle said. "Remember? I asked you last night. You really have to come."

"Kyle… I can't." The female werewolf looked sad. "I promised Sam I'd stay in tonight. Can it wait?"

"Can New Year's?" Kyle asked rhetorically. "Please, Rahne. This would mean a lot to me, to the town. You'd be able to reveal yourself, to people outside of your home in New York that Bobby was talking about." Kyle could look very persuading when he wanted to, and right now, he wanted to.

Rahne was undecided. "I'll think about it… but I have to go help the others at the mine now."

Kyle put out a hand. "But Rahne, we -- as in the town -- can't let anyone near the mine. They might see what we think there is, figure out the timing, and realize why it's affecting us."

"What exactly is it?"

Kyle thought for a long moment. "Several days ago, there was a collapse in the mine. Until then ,we had been mostly mining coal and other common minerals in Pennsylvania. But then, we cracked open a wall, it fell apart, and there was a large silver deposit."

"But how would that affect you, as long as no one touched it?"

"That's the thing." Kyle continued. "The removal of the wall caused the ceiling in that area to collapse. Jack messed up the math, that area was 10 feet higher than we thought, and daylight poured in. On the cracked rock, there was some wolfsbane, in its seeding season. It spread, interacting with the approaching full moon and the silver, and is now worldwide, whereas before it only leached out of the ground near us."

"So can't you just shift the rock?"

Kyle laughed. "If only. We can do that after the full moon goes away, then people will simply blame it. But if we do it too early, people will wonder why, and will come to the epicenter – here – to look. Most people in this town want to leave it be for another week."

Rahne was horrified. "But then more people will die from wolf attacks!"

Kyle looked at Rahne carefully. "Look, Rahne, I personally want to shift the rock right now. But we can't. Once the moon leaves, we'll shift the rock, wait for the seed to settle, and the world will be safe within a month. But if we do it now--"

"The seed will settle when it's supposed to, a week from now. "Rahne finished.

"In some areas, yes. In farther areas, with low concentrations, no." Kyle countered. "I'm truly sorry, but there's nothing we can do." 

Rahne looked down, depressed.

Kyle moved over and began to pet her back, in only the way that a werewolf or a close acquaintance of one would know how to do. "Cheer up. Imagine your friends, facing Catherine, Joan, and Steve at the mine right now. I wish I could control my wolfishness better – this would be fun to watch."

***

Bobby was backed up against a tree, with a wolf baring its teeth at his throat.

"Guys? Help?"

"We'll get you in a sec!" Tabitha was standing over Amara, protecting her from another wolf. Ray and Sam were trying to dodge another's teeth.

"Come on! Let's get back to town!" Ray abandoned all dignity and fled. Sam managed to shove Bobby's wolf away, and the other two males followed Ray. Tabitha tossed a bomb at the wolf, which dodged, allowing the rest of the group to flee.

***

"That was bad for my dignity."

Ray tenderly eased himself onto his bed, as Bobby changed his shirt behind the hot-headed boy.

"That was bad for all of our dignity." Bobby said. "But we're all in the same boat here. So no one else has to know."

They heard someone slump in the hall.

"Come back next time you need some beating!" Jessica could be heard saying.

Ray and Bobby left the room, and saw Sam leave his. They saw Roberto lying asleep on the ground.

Sam knelt down. "What happened?"

"Soccer… balls… everywhere… aiiieee!" Roberto lashed out, fortunately missing everyone.

At the end of the hall, Jessica shrugged. "Told him I wasn't bad." Then she left.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "This is not a day for the X-men."

***

After another several hours of fruitless searching, most of the group was ready to turn in. But not Rahne.

Sam walked in as Rahne changed into her uniform. "Where are you going?"

Rahne swiveled. "Uh… Sam, I have to…"

Sam looked imploringly at her. "Rahne. You said you wouldn't. Don't you remember the madness? Rahne, _please_."

Rahne's eyes began to water. "Sam… I have to go. Really. You wouldn't understand." After a long moment, she left. Sam didn't try to stop her.

Tabitha peeked out of her room as soon as Rahne had gone down the hotel stairs. "You gonna let her cheat on you much longer?"

Sam looked at her incredulously. "What?!"

Tabitha chuckled. "Sam, even you should be able to see this. She's fallen for the mayor, and she's just baiting you along while we're here. Really, boy, how long will it be?"

Sam attempted to remove the doubt in him. "You're wrong."

Tabitha put her head back inside her room. "Am I?" She shut the door.

Sam stared after her.

***

Rahne appeared at the edge of the woods, and then immediately relinquished herself to the wolf in her.

As her transformation finished, the wolf form of the town mayor strode up. "Let's get moving, shall we?"


	8. The ceremony

Howl 

Chapter 8

AN: What happened to X-men Evolution? It hasn't been on in a couple of weeks. Did it get canceled?

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evolution.

Rahne and Kyle ran through the woods, trees and rocks going by them at a blur. The full moon shone brilliantly overhead, and nocturnal creatures were crawling around.

"Kyle, why won't you tell me where we're going?" Rahne asked as she jumped a rock.

"Patience, Rahne. All I can say is that you're going to love this." Kyle raised his head and howled. An answering howl came from about a mile in the direction they were heading.

Rahne looked around nervously. There were fewer and fewer animals as they ran, like the animals were avoiding them… or the area.

"Kyle, I don't like this."

"Trust me, all right? We're almost there."

"What is we get hit with the madness?"

"It shouldn't affect us during the ceremony, or the day after. Please, just trust me."

Ducking a low-hanging branch, Rahne emerged from the woods onto the clearing that she had been to the last couple nights. But there were a few new things. Specifically, about eighty wolves were already there, in a circle.

"What? Kyle, what is this?" Rahne asked, her wolf voice tinged with fear.

Kyle didn't respond. Instead, he ran to an open spot in the circle. "Fellow wolves, we have a guest for this ceremony. This is another werewolf. One of the mutants who went into town--"

"Kyle!" Rahne hissed.

Kyle took no notice. "Rahne Sinclair, is a werewolf like us. But let us now commence with the ceremony. Who wants to begin?"

A wolf stepped into the center of the circle. Rahne realized that she was all alone by the woods and ran into an empty spot near the cliff. The wolf in the center began to howl.

But… as Rahne listened, the howl took on more musical tones. Glancing to the left, she saw the other wolves completely enraptured in the song. Rahne turned back, to see the wolf begin to sing even more strongly.

The wolf to Rahne's immediate right suddenly began to howl. Rather than flinching at the noise, however, Rahne found the sound extremely pleasing. She felt like sinking into the music, abandoning herself to the melody…

__

No. What if it was dangerous? What if the wolves began to attack her? _Better to focus on myself_.

The center wolf stopped howling, and jumped back. A third wolf began, joining the second one. As the second one stopped, a fourth began, and so on. The song was entrancing. Rahne was being pulled in…

__

Resist! But resistance was useless. Rahne felt the wolf in her jump and take control. Rahne threw heard head back and howled her own melody.

How long Rahne sang, she didn't know. But even when she stopped, she still didn't have control of her body. Rahne couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even twitch as the other wolves added their music. Out of the corners of her eyes, Rahne saw the other wolves were also as still as stone until it was their turn to sing.

Kyle's boyishness. Jessica's friendship. Catherine's control. She heard them all expressed in the howls of the wolves. _I wonder what the others heard from me?_

When the last wolf had howled, Rahne thought it would be over. But then she again heard herself singing, this time in conjunction with the other wolves. As the melody rose, she felt a wave of happiness breaking over her –

***

Sam paced. And paced. And paced.

"Would you stop pacing? You're going to go through the floor."

Bobby stuck his head in. "And you're keeping me up besides."

Sam ignored him. "Where is she? Where is she? What if something happened to her? What if--"

"What if she's just at a dance with Kyle in the next town or something?" Bobby asked. "Let her go, man. Kyle's better looking than you, and you know it."

Sam had to admit that Bobby had a point, but he wouldn't admit it. "She's not that superficial, Bobby." 

"All right. He's smarter, stronger, and slightly older as well. Face it, man, you're outclassed." Bobby's insults were said in a matter-of-fact manner. "Now go to bed, or I'll freeze you in place." He left the room.

Sam thought. Bobby was right, Kyle _was_ better than him in many respects. Could it be true?

Sam checked his watch, and saw that it was almost midnight. Setting his alarm clock for five thirty, Sam placed it under his pillow so as not to awaken the others. _I'll see who Rahne comes back with. If she does come back._ Sam still could not shake the feeling that Rahne was in trouble.

Sam sat down his bed. _One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four fuzzy bunnies, five camels…_ The Midwestern boy was asleep in moments.

***

Rahne found herself on the ground in human form, and pushed herself up. She blinked moonlight from her eyes, and she saw the bodies of the other townsfolk on the ground. _Where am I? What time is it?_

Then the events of last night came back in a blur. Running with Kyle, the song, the final howl –

_I must have been here all night! Sam will be worried sick!_ Rahne had noticed that the sun was just beginning to come up. She stretched and prepared to go to wolf form, hopefully getting back before anyone awoke, and—

"Going so soon?"

Rahne whirled to face Kyle. "You don't want to know how mad I am right now." Rahne struggled with the urge to clock the mayor.

Kyle put up his hands. "Easy, Rahne. Admit it. You liked it. You had to have liked it."

"True." Rahne conceded. "But you didn't tell me it would be an all-nighter. Sam must be worried, to put it very mildly."

"You wouldn't have come if you'd known." Kyle countered. "And you had to come. You had to see what this town was truly about."

Rahne turned and began to walk towards the woods. "Go away."

"You had to know. So you could make an informed decision."

"About what?" Rahne swung her arms one last time, and was about to morph—

"About staying here."

Rahne turned back, incredulity on her face. "_What_?!"

"You belong in this town, Rahne Sinclair." Kyle said. "You're more werewolf than mutant in your heart. If you weren't, you wouldn't have joined in last night."

Rahne shook her head. "Kyle, I'm sorry, but I can't abandon my friends. Especially Sam. I'm not staying." She turned and finally morphed.

Kyle began to transform again, by virtue of the remaining moonlight. Once he was done, he yipped, "Aren't you interested in how the ritual works? How we revert to our human bodies after it, despite the moonlight? Aren't you interested at all?"

"No." Rahne ran off. The wolf that was Kyle chased her.

"Rahne." The mayor said, after about half the woods had gone by. "Please just hear me out. Even if you don't want to stay--"

"Which I don't." Rahne said.

"Even so, please promise not to tell your friends. They'll try to get us to join them."

"So?" 

Kyle let out a sigh. "Rahne, the ritual takes the close mutual friendship that all of us half-humans share and magnifies it. The song introduces our feelings, the final howl allows us to enter it. The friendship drives out the normal ferocity of our wolf halves, and we thus return to our human selves temporarily. Rahne, don't you want to be in a town where you can share that friendship?"

Rahne looked back. "I am. It's called the Xavier Institute." But her voice broke. She knew that she did want to stay in this town, with people like her. _But I can't. I can't leave Sam, and the other kids, and the Professor—_

"Very well." Kyle was silent as he ran.

The moonlight finally vanished just as the two wolves left the woods. Kyle demorphed automatically, as he had too, and Rahne demorphed just a few seconds later. They walked back to the hotel in silence.

"See you in a few hours." Rahne said, still slightly angered. "I'm going to try to get some additional sleep." 

Kyle nodded and walked off. 

***

Sam felt like crying as he watched Rahne and Kyle walk up the road, looking to the world like a couple. But his sadness turned quickly to anger.

_I guess I am just a loser. But Rahne promised me that we would always stay together. She promised. And then one handsome guy comes along and rips it all away._

Sam dropped the binoculars and went off to Rahne's room. _This should be interesting._


	9. Breaking up

Chapter 9

Howl

AN: Thanks to all my loyal reviewers, and special thanks to Buckster for that information.

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evolution, those dips who put it on hiatus do.

Rahne, exhausted from the ceremony and the relatively light sleep that she'd had while in the woods, wanted nothing more than to go into her room, change into her pajamas, and fall asleep.

So she entered her room, opened her dresser, and –

"Hi."

Rahne turned to see Sam on her bed. "Sam? What are you doing here at five thirty in the morning?"

"What were you doing?"

Rahne was extremely confused. "What?"

"What were you doing last night?"

"Uh…"

"You were with Kyle." Sam stated. His face was unreadable.

"_What?!_" Rahne was shocked. _How did he know that? Did he see us?_

"I saw you too walking back from wherever it was you were." Sam said accusingly. "You were on a date with him."

Rahne was shocked. "I was not!"

"Then, pray tell, what were you two doing? Especially when it required you to wolf-morph to meet him in time? You only wear that outfit when you wolf-morph."

_I don't believe this_. "Sam, you're wrong." Rahne said. "I can't explain, but--"

"If you wanted to break up with me, I would wish that you would have the politeness to tell me, instead of going behind my back." Sam's voice cracked, before becoming cold again. "Am I that horrible?"

"Sam, it isn't like that. You don't understand--"

"Make me understand." Cannonball waited.

"I can't." Rahne's voice was a whisper.

"Then we don't have anything else to discuss." Sam left the room abruptly. 

Rahne watched him leave. Then she sank to the ground as she started to cry.

***

Sam broke into a run as he went down the hallway. Only by virtue of his amazing self-control did he get into his room and bolt the door before breaking into tears.

__

I loved her. I truly loved her. She loved me. We were such a good couple. And she does this.

The young boy's thoughts went on. _Or did she love me? She hadn't the courtesy to even tell me that she was dating Kyle. She just went out with him. Maybe she was just playing me this entire time._

Sam looked at his roommate, Bobby, who was still sound asleep. _That dope probably doesn't even understand what love is. All he cares about are good times and money._

Sam suddenly felt listless. He quickly dressed and left the hotel, wandering down the road.

"I loved her," he muttered as he passed the diner. "But did she ever love me?"

***

Food had to be prepared in advance for timely service. However, it could not be prepared too early, for fear of letting the food cool. This had made quite the dilemma for Jessica originally, until she found that the right time to prepare food for her diner was at five in the morning. 

As Jessica put the pot on to boil, she bumped a head of lettuce and sent it flying. Muttering angrily, she picked it up and began to wash it. _I wish my parents were still helping. But ever since the mine collapse, I have to run this place with just a couple of dweebs for help. I wish that stupid mine hadn't come down, hadn't infected all the workers with the ultra-madness that came from being near the source, the madness that my tea can't handle. The madness that killed them._

Lost as she was in her thoughts, she didn't here the beginning of a statement spoken outside her diner.

"…love me?"

__

Who on Earth is up? _Sounds like that Sam kid_. Her curiosity overcame her. She focused hard, wolf-morphed, and crept to the front of her shop.

Indeed, Sam was up, looking quite sad. His eyes were red, and Jessica could smell his depression. "Rahne…" he muttered. "Why did you do this…"

Demorphing, Jessica opened the door to the diner. "Do you need something?"

Sam swiveled. "Oh, no! No! Not at all! Thanks!" His voice was full of cheer that was obviously false.

Jessica thought about asking, but decided not to. "If you need something--"

Sam nodded. "I know. Well, must be going now." He turned and speed-walked back.

Jessica stared after him.

***

It was five in the afternoon. Sam and Rahne hadn't spoken to each other since breakfast.

Rahne was looking through the town archives – now that Kyle knew she was a werewolf, she had unlimited access. However, aside from mentions of werewolves in the town, there was still no information on a permanent cure.

Kyle sat down next to her, looking around to make sure that Roberto and Amara, at the other end of the house, weren't close enough to eavesdrop. "Try to contain yourself. I've talked with the other high-ranking people in the town. We reluctantly decided to shift the rock at the mine tonight."

Rahne almost smiled. "Great, Kyle. Great."

"What's wrong?" Kyle asked.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Roberto walked through the double doors leading to the kitchen. "Rahne, there's nothing here."

Rahne nodded absentmindedly. 

Roberto saw the sadness in her eyes. Ignoring Kyle, the Brazilian knelt next to the Scottish girl. "Rahne, you can talk to any of us. We're all there for you."

Rahne again nodded.

Roberto turn to Kyle. "Sam broke up with her this morning. Neither of them are saying why."

"I see." The mayor nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Rahne sniffled. "Thanks."

After Roberto had gone back to try to stop Amara from bursting into flame in frustration, Kyle clutched Rahne's arm. "I was going to ask if you could come with us tonight. It would be good to have a non-werewolf there in case something goes really wrong. Can't imagine what, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared."

The wolf-girl said, "I'll have to see what's on the agenda tonight."

"But Rahne," Kyle began, "We really need you. You're the only one that doesn't have to wolf-morph tonight, aside from Jess and a few others, and with the kind of hard labor this will require, they won't have the strength to resist. Please."

Rahne reluctantly nodded. "Let me tell Roberto and Amara."

Walking to the back, Rahne found that Amara had stormed off somewhere in a huff. Roberto, however, was still there.

"I'm going to search in the woods tonight. Kyle thinks that there's something in the mine, but he says that only one person will be able to fit into the spot, and I'm the most at home in the woods." It was a dreadful lie, but it was the best Rahne could think of.

Roberto, however, didn't question why more people couldn't go or why this had to be done at night. He only assented with a shake of the head, then said, "I'm facing Jessica in a rematch. She just got lucky last time. I'll make sure to tell the others about you before I go, though."

Rahne said, "Thanks."

She went back to the front of the house.

***

At eight in the evening, the other X-men returned to find the house empty. A scribbled note said, "Playing soccer with Jess. See you later. Roberto."

There was no trace of Rahne.

***

Roberto jumped, and again missed one of Jessica's shots. "Nice shot."

The boy thought. _I know I was supposed to tell the others something else… but I forgot what it was. I'll remember later, I'm sure. How important could it be?_

***

Sam once again found himself pacing. "We were all going to go into the next town and see a movie. Why isn't she here?"

Bobby shrugged. "Probably out with the mayor. They've been together all day, too."

"Our relationship was bad enough." Sam muttered. "But it's like she left the team!"

From the corner, Tabitha practiced making and defusing her bombs. "Forget her, let's go already!"

Sam gave in, albeit reluctantly. "All right."

***

Rahne headed into the woods, running into Kyle and a group of townspeople almost at once. "Let's go. The sooner we get this done, the sooner the disease ends." Kyle said.


	10. Attack

Howl 

Chapter 10

AN: Again, thanks to all my loyal reviewers

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evo. or anyone you've seen elsewhere. I own Kyle, Jessica, Howl, and a couple of rocks. 

The work was good, solid work. No shortcuts, no finesse, no difficult techniques. The wolves dug and chopped at rock to seal the wolfsbane -contaminated silver away, and there wasn't much more to it than that.

"This is tiring." Rahne didn't like the training sessions at the Institute, and this was even more strenuous.

"Shouldn't be much longer." Kyle was working on chopping a particularly tough piece of rock to little bits to fill the cracks in the crude pile that had been erected over the silver. "Rahne, could you crawl down and shift that large rock about a meter?"

Rahne nodded, but joked, 'Just because I'm the only one that can really go near the silver, I seem to end up piling this rock by myself."

Kyle smiled. "You're right. Let's all leave, and you can stay and finish." This got a laugh from the female mutant. "Hey, at least the clouds are obscuring the moon enough to stop us from wolf-morphing."

After about ten more minutes of labor, the pile was completely buried. Kyle shook his head up and down emphatically. "The intensity of the dust should start going down in about an hour, to where the tea will begin to help us again. The dust should settle completely in a few days, Rahne, so with a bit of luck, you'll be completely fine after that."

The relief on Rahne's face was genuine.

"Let's go!" Kyle turned and motioned to the other werewolves. Rahne followed them, but immediately tripped over a root.

"Ow."

Kyle turned again. "You okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm covered in leaves." She got up. "Let's go back, I want to wake up Bobby for a little revenge for something he did to me at the Institute a long time ago."

***

The movie was good, but Sam was barely paying attention.

_She walked out on me. She walked out on all of us._

"Earth to Samuel? Come in?"

Sam turned. The movie was getting in to the required action sequence, where The Hero Kills Five Thousand Security Guards Without Anyone Noticing, While The Pretty Female Hostage Just Kind Of Sits And Gasps.

Tabitha nudged him again. "Sam? Since the Professor would never let us see this movie of our own free will if he had any say, will you just watch it and stop brooding?" Her whisper was as blunt as everything else she said. "It's annoying!"

Sam nodded absentmindedly. 

***

At the end of the movie, after The Hero had Saved The Day and Rescued The Girl, Sam was still silent.

The others allowed Cannonball to get a few feet ahead of them. "So, what do you think we should do to her?" Ray whispered. There was no doubt who the 'her' was.

"Something really, really evil." Tabitha grinned as a plan formed in her head.

Bobby Drake looked at the hunched figure of the farm boy. "I think I agree with you on that one. In fact," he continued, "why don't we have just as much fun as Agent 007.8 in the movie." 

***

The other X-men arrived at the hotel around midnight, but they weren't the last ones to show up.

"Pssst" Bobby whispered. "It's Rahne! With Kyle!"

Tabitha looked around to see if Sam was still there, but he had gone upstairs. "I say we teach her a lesson."

Ray, one of Sam's best friends, walked next to the door. "You guys hide. I'll deliver the lesson."

***

Rahne waved bye to Kyle and opened the door to the hotel – to be met with an angry Ray.

"Why are you glowering?"

Ray brought up his hands, charging his electricity reserves. "You know, it's not polite to break someone's heart like you did."

Rahne stared at him. "What?"

"And it's not nice to do it in such a deceitful, cruel, and base way."

Rahne again asked, "What?"

"But it's really not nice…" Ray's arms began to involuntarily shake as they tried to contain the energy inside them. "To purposely skip out on a group activity, to his favorite type of movie, without even leaving a note. To make your former boyfriend sit like a statue through the movie in grief."

Rahne still didn't understand. "Excuse me?"

Ray fired the energy. "Jerk."

Only Rahne's quick reflexes saved her from being burned. "What are you doing?"

She felt her legs being frozen by an ice stream, and Ray prepped another bolt of electricity.

"Teaching you a lesson."

***

Rahne awoke about half an hour later, her left side of her body flaring with pain, her feet numb with cold.

"What did they do that for?" She muttered. "It made no sense… it felt like a lame take-off of an action movie…"

Breaking free of the ice, Rahne made it to her room. "Oh…"

Her cell phone began to ring.

"Yeah? Oh, hi Kyle." She said, hearing the mayor on the other end.

***

"Hey," Amara said, "Tabitha, listen. If your peasant ears are halfway decent, you can hear Rahne on the phone. Doesn't she realize Princesses need sleep?"

"Girl, you need a reality check." Tabitha went over to the wall. "Well, it looks like Rahne is on the phone with her new boyfriend. I'll get the others, this could be interesting."

***

"He blasted you?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Wolves have advanced hearing, Rahne. Duh. I heard him bragging about it to Bobby just now. Wish I'd been listening earlier, I'd have helped. He's a dope."

On the other side of the wall, the X-men, minus Sam and Roberto, looked at each other in astonishment. "Did she just reveal our secret, or am I dreaming?" Ray muttered.

"You're not dreaming." Bobby said. "I think your last lesson wasn't… severe enough."

"She hurts Sam, spends all the nights with Kyle, and confesses our mutations to him? What is she _thinking?!_" Tabitha almost yelled.

Ray went to open the door. "Let's fetch Sam, and let's go get Rahne."

***

"I agree. I'm just really sad, I guess. Why? Why would he do it? I've been with them for months, and now he attacks me?" Rahne almost cried into the phone.

Then there was a knock on her door…


	11. War and Love

Howl

Chapter 11

AN: Second to last one, folks. Fear not, there will be a sequel. For more notes, and a request for help, on that, look for another note at the end.

Disclaimer: Go back a few.

"I'll see who that is." Rahne hung up the phone and crossed over to the door.

***

At the other end, Kyle looked at the phone perplexedly. He turned to Jessica. "I think that we might be needed there. You get Roberto set up, I'll head down."

***

Rahne opened the door, and was flung back as Sam slammed his fist into her head. Rahne felt her body slam into the bed, bounce, come to a rest against the window. She staggered upright. "What…"

"You told." Sam said. He punched her again, but Rahne was able to roll with the punch and avoid most of the pain.

"Told what?"

"Don't play dumb. You betrayed us. All of us." Sam's anger was almost palpable. "It's not enough to abandon me without even saying so, is it? Not enough to abandon all of us. No, you go and sell out everyone at the Institute." He punched her again, then kicked her while she was reeling.

The werewolf slammed into a closet. "You don't understand…"

"I don't NEED to understand!" Cried Sam. Bobby and Tabitha came in behind him. Sam punched at Rahne once again, but Rahne managed to fling herself to the side in time.

"Guys, help me!"

In response, Bobby turned and froze the door shut. "Well… frankly, you deserve this."

Rahne was shocked. "But what did I do?…"

"Don't play dumb, jerk." Sam decked her again. 

Reeling, Rahne stumbled against the bed. "Are you done yet?…" Her tears of pain mingled with those of betrayal.

"Not yet." The farmboy, angry beyond belief, punched Rahne one more time. Blood began to flow from Rahne's forehead.

And Rahne's fear and pain began to turn to anger.

_How dare they do this… I give my heart to Sam, and he trahes it just because I go run around with another of my own kind… that idiot… that jerk…_

Sam eyed Rahne. Her face, just seconds ago one of sadness, was transforming into one of anger. As the werwolf turned towards him, Sam saw a glint of craziness in her eye.

_Uh-oh_…

***

Jessica left Roberto, sleeping on her couch after diving for a bad shot and twisting his leg, to his slumber. She left her house and began to jog towards the hotel.

Kyle met her on the way. "Think they know about us?"

"No." The female kept running. "Rahne's too honest to tell them."

"I wish she would tell them. I would hate if she got hurt over something like this."

The two werewolves continued to move closer to the hotel.

***

Rahne felt the madness filling her, felt it taking her over, felt it all and didn't care. An idle part of her noted that this would probably be the last time she got the madness, what with the dust settling, but the rest of her mind was preoccupied. She blocked Sam's next blow and returned with a vicious cross that carried him off his feet.

Crossing over, Rahne jumped on Bobby. Bobby's ice streams missed completely, and Rahne tore at him with hands and teeth, blooding him and making him cry in pain.

Hearing the distinctive "sss" of an energy bomb, Rahne flipped up and away. The bomb blew up, further wounding the young Iceman, and Rahne turned to Tabitha. "Why don't you pick on someone who can fight back?" called the hot-headed blond, but Rahne ignored this and moved in.

Combining moves she had learned in the mansion with the elegance and fury of a wolf, Rahne slashed and bashed Tabitha, finally kciking her into the closet. Tabitha groaned and fell unconscious.

Sam, only now able to get up, saw the bloodied body of Bobby and Tabitha's form half-in and half-out of the closet. Sam then twisted, and saw Rahne, who was in the process of wolf-morphing.

_Door's froze, window's too high up… what do I do?_ The farmboy backed against the wall as his former girlfriend approached on him with a quiet fury, her intent quite obvious.

_I'm gonna literally be eaten by my girlfriend!_ Sam thought. "Uh… stay away! Please! Don't bite! Shoo! Run! Go chase a mouse!" Seeing his girlfriend still approaching, Sam muttered, "Great… now what…"

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.

_If I lose, I die a second earlier. Not much risk there._ Sam knelt down to Rahne until he was able to look the wolf in the eye. Leaning forward, he kissed the wolf.

Rahne seemed to lose focus, and just stared at him.

***

Ray zapped the door again and again, but them sank to the ground with exhaustion. "I can't do this… the door won't budge…"

"What is wrong with you idiots?"

Ray and Amara looked up to see Jessica standing there. "May I ask why you're letting your friends beat on Rahne until she has to fight back to save herself?"

Amara answered, "Your brother stole Rahne from the peasant farmboy. He wanted revenge. I thought it would be entertaining to see."

Jessica looked livid. "You jerks. She didn't tell you, did she? No, she didn't! She's too good and honest to tell you. You mutants don't deserve her." Behind her, Kyle walked up the stairs, but he stayed at the other end of the hall, not saying a thing.

Ray snapped is head up. "WHAT?"

"You heard me. Mutants. We saw you in the woods the other day. And from the looks of things, she's a better mutant than all of you."

Ray staggered up. "Listen, you'd better shut your mouth girl. Sure, Rahne's a mutant. And she betrays us. That makes it even more personal. Why don't you get out before we hurt you."

Jessica strode across the hall, morphed her hand with little effort, and shoved the claws right next to Ray's throat. Ray's eyes widened.

"You should know better than to threaten a werewolf."

Ray backed up, and Jessica followed. "What… you're a mutant!"

"No, a werewolf."

"And Kyle too, right?"

"Yes."

"The town?"

"Yes." Jessica moved her claws even closer to Ray's throat.

Ray gasped for breath against the pointy claws. "That explains a lot…"

Jessica demorphed her hand and grabbed Ray, lifting him off the ground. "It does. What it doesn't explain is why she chooses to hang out with losers like you instead of joining her fellows who respect her."

Ray held up his hands. "I didn't know… we didn't know…" He sank to the ground, the horror of his actions overcoming him.

Amara said, "Has anyone noticed? The fighting stopped."

Jessica shrugged. "Still, we have to get this door open. Let's try ramming it."

Kyle approached. "Yes, let's. And then we'll have a very long talk with Samuel Guthrie."

Ray somehow knew that Kyle had heard every word. "Just peachy."

***

Sam began to pet Rahne.

"I love you, Rahne. I love you." _Don't be afraid, wolves smell fear… oh, like that thought helped that cause._ "Remember, Rahne? When we had ice cream together at Steve's? When we ran together in the woods by the Institute? Remember?"

Rahne only looked blankly at him.

Getting desperate, Sam plunged on. "When we first kissed, in that danger room session, and got blasted by a laser turret afterwards? When we shooed Jamie out of the living room so we could have a private squirt-gun fight? When we watched cartoons?" 

Rahne still looked oblivious.

"When… when I first said I loved you?" Sam's eyes began to fill with tears. "You remember, right? Do you?" He grabbed Rahne again, burying his head in her coat. "Do you?" His voice cracked.

Rahne seemed to snap out of a trance. She moved, shaking Sam out of her coat. She looked at Sam, at Bobby, at Tabitha, at the pounding door, at Sam again. Her own eyes began to well up with tears.

Then, as the door crashed down, she darted away from Sam and out the window.

"No!" Sam jumped up himself, running through the window, over the balcony. Ignoring the pain from the landing, the cannonball chased the wolf with all his might.

"Wait, Sam!" Kyle crossed the room in an instant and ran after the fleeing mutant.

AN: Anyone with info on Amara's family, I'd really appreciate it. I appreciate regular reviews too, of course. And criticisms. Hey, I'll even appreciate sales pitches if you at least fake you read this!


	12. The End

Howl 

Chapter 12

AN: Last chapter folks, but there will be a sequel. Thanks to all my reviewers, and special thanks to everyone with information on the Aquilla family.

Disclaimer: Go back a few chapters.

Samuel Guthrie ran through the woods, chasing after his girlfriend. "Rahne? Rahne, where are you?" Ignoring minor impediments and blundering into major ones, Sam was quickly becoming quite banged up, but he kept running.

"Rahne, _please_ come back!" Sam was beginning to shiver from the brisk wind, and his muscles were tiring quickly. "Rahne!" he yelled. "Rahne, come back!"

Sam turned around to discover he was lost. "Rats," he muttered. He slumped against a tree.

"There you are." Sam looked up to see Kyle.

"What do you want?"

"We need to talk." Kyle dropped his body down next to Sam's.

"I don't want to talk."

Kyle ignored Sam. "Did Rahne ever tell you my secret?"

"No, what is it?"

"There's a reason Rahne was with me every night."

Sam clenched his fists. "What?" he snarled. "If you're trying to convince me that that was completely innocent--"

"Didn't Rahne convince you in the hotel room?"

"I don't KNOW!" Kyle cried. "Just leave me alone!"

Kyle took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Sam looked at him strangely, but then he noticed that Kyle's hand was starting to shift, become wavy. As Sam watched, it slowly sprouted fur and claws. 

"What – what are you?" Sam jumped back.

Kyle's eyes opened. "Don't you know?"

Kyle's other hand began to shift, then his legs, then the rest of him. Sam gasped as Kyle, perspiring heavily, transformed into a wolf.

Sam backed up, fear filling him. "Don't hurt me!" 

Kyle approached Sam, then suddenly demorphed. Sweating heavily, the mayor looked at Sam. "Now do you understand? Do you understand the need to be with ones of your own kind? To run with those who understand you?"

Realization flooded through Sam. "I – you --"

Kyle put a hand on Sam. "I think you need to apologize to your girlfriend, Samuel."

Sam began to cry. "But I don't even know where she is."

Kyle looked at the farmboy. "I think you'll find her."

***

Rahne sat against a tree in human form, sniffling.

"Rahne."

The werewolf swiveled to see Sam. "Yeah."

Before Sam could say anything, Rahne continued. "You're going to tell me I shouldn't have been with Sam. And you're going to tell me that I should have gone to the movie. And you're going to do your best to make me feel terrible." Rahne's eyes began to water.

Sam moved closer to Rahne, but the girl jumped back. "No, Rahne." Sam said. "I'm not."

"Then you're thinking it."

"Kyle told me." Sam looked into Rahne's eyes.

"Told you what?"

"Everything." Sam again moved towards Rahne, who this time didn't back off. "Rahne… you were right."

"What?"

"You were right, Rahne." Sam said. "I was an idiot. I should have known that you wouldn't desert me on a spur of the moment, that you had reasons for keeping secrets. I don't deserve you." Sam's own eyes began to water.

Rahne's head sank down. "No, Sam. You weren't wrong, I was. I shouldn't have gone out with Kyle, even if he is a werewolf." 

Sam sighed. "Rahne… do you love me?"

"Yes." Rahne looked back at Sam, eyes moistened with tears. "Do you love me?"

Sam pulled Rahne closer to him, until they were hugging. "Yes." 

The couple sat in the woods, embraced. 

***

The other X-men, minus Roberto, had opted not to continue into the woods. "They probably want some time alone," reasoned Ray.

Tabitha was still mad at Rahne for slamming her into the closet. "She'll get some time alone when I'm through with her. Time in the emergency room." Banged up, but not seriously injured, the blond was angry regardless.

Jessica had just left to tell Roberto what was going on, so Bobby felt safe saying, "We'll have to see the Professor about mindwiping the inhabitants." The Iceman was also hurt, and he now had a limp, but he had decided not to waste his energy ranting about Rahne.

"What?" Amara asked. "Why? That's the illogic typical of the lower class."

"Think about it." Bobby said. "They know about us. What if Magneto finds them in his search for recruits? Kyle could probably convince Rahne to come alone to some dark alley, with Magneto'' thugs lying in wait."

"Rahne's smarter than that." Amara said. "Even peasants have brains, and Rahne's is wiser than most."

Ray had to fight to remain calm. "One more remark about your superiority--"

Amara shrugged. "I can take intolerance from peasants; we got it all the time on Nova Roma. They usually learn respect after being repeatedly proven wrong, as you have been numerous times by me."

The princess walked off. "I'll be in the hotel room, do not call if the werewolf and the farmboy come back."

Ray chased after her. "Now one minute!"

Bobby watched their retreating backs. "I hope they get here soon, before we all kill each other."

***

Sam broke the embrace and put a hand on Rahne's shoulder. "Let's head back."

Rahne shook her head.

"Come on, we can't stay here all night."

"I'm not going back." Rahne said.

"What?"

"None of them will trust me." Rahne sniffled again. "None of them will respect me. I'll just be the girl who lost it on the mission to Howl. Tabitha and Bobby will probably try to kill me."

Sam began to slightly shake Rahne. "I trust you."

"I know, but… it isn't the same. And besides, these are people here I can relate to. People like me, even more than the others at the Institute. I can't go back."

"Even for me?"

"I'm sorry, Sam. I love you… if there was another way…"

Sam had a thought. "There is."

"How?"

"I can stay here."

Rahne gave a light chuckle, then grew serious again. "Sam… don't be offended but…"

"I'm not a werewolf, I know." Sam said. "Can't you make me one? By biting me or something?"

"What? No!"

Sam tilted Rahne's head back so that his eyes stared into hers. "It's what I want. To be with you."

Rahne pushed Sam away. "Sam, it's permanent. Completely. You'd regret it later."

Sam shook his head. "I don't think I would."

Rahne's eyes once again began to water. "Would you really…"

Sam hugged the werewolf. "Yes, I would."

The farmboy felt a sharp pressure on his shoulder, and turned to find two little fang marks, still bleeding. Turning his head back, he saw Rahne, who had wolf-morphed her head while he was embracing her, showing a canine grin.

Rahne demorphed. "I suppose we should tell the others."

"Yes." Sam said, standing slowly. "We should."

***

Bobby and Tabitha had retired to the hotel lounge, where they watched Ray and Amara play possibly the most vicious game of checkers on Earth. 

"This has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever stayed up to watch." Bobby yawned and dropped his head onto the couch armrest. "Why are we here? Even the receptionist guy went home!"

Tabitha shrugged. "Because it beats sleeping, and it'll give us an excuse to get out of training tomorrow."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "If Logan bought that, he'd be a moron."

"My point exactly." Tabitha winked. Bobby just rolled his eyes again.

"Hello."

All four heads in the room turned, and they saw Sam and Rahne in the doorway.

Tabitha waved. "Hi. Hey, pull up a chair. Great game of checkers going on."

Ray ignored her. "Rahne, Sam, are you two all right?"

"Yes, we're all right." Rahne said.

"Well, why don't you stay and watch? I'm smoking the princess here." Amara glared daggers at him.

"Can't." Sam looked mournful. "Look… we just came to say that we're leaving the X-men."

Amara dropped her checker in mid-move. "What?"

Sam shrugged. "We decided it would be better to stay here, among Rahne's own people."

Tabitha was confused. "What, others from Muir Island?"

"No, werewolves. Didn't you guys tell her?" Sam asked.

Ray shook his head. "Sorry. Hey Bobby, Tabitha, news brief: this is a werewolf town."

Amara jumped up. "Then Roberto's trapped with a vicious canine? We have to go."

"No more vicious than me, Magma." Rahne said. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd almost say you _liked_ Roberto. In _that_ way."

Amara blushed. "Do not!" she lied.

Bobby still struggled to digest what Sam had said. "But Sam, you're not a werewolf!"

"I am now." Sam bent down, and Bobby saw the two holes in his shirt, the two scabs on his shoulder. Bobby gasped.

Tabitha never seemed to lose her cool. "Great, great! Two werewolves to whack for what you did to me!"

Rahne strode up to Tabitha, and morphed her hand right until the blond's chin. Tabitha gave an involuntary gurgle as the claws began to prick her skin. "Care to say that again?"

"No!" Tabitha jumped sideways out of the chair, then ran to hide behind the couch.

Rahne nodded. "Consider this our goodbye."

Then she and Sam left the room.

***

The X-Jet arrived the next day to pick up the recruits.

Forge stepped out of the plane. "Come on, let's go."

"Where's Mr. McCoy?" asked Bobby.

"He had a convention to attend."

***

(Somewhere in Florida).

Beast, holographic watch on, entered the bar. He watched numerous scantily clad females dance around. As he approached the counter to order a beer, he breathed a sigh of contentment.

***

"What about the Professor?" Ray wanted to know.

"Some secret business involving stopping the third key from being found."

***

(Also in Florida).

Professor Xavier entered the bar and approached the bartender, before seeing someone he knew. "Beast?"

"Professor?"

They stared at each other, before the Professor said, "I didn't know you had such taste in drinking establishments!"

"So who's watching the kids?" Beast asked.

"Logan, I think."

***

"And Logan and Storm?"

"Don't even ask."

***

(Somewhere in Paris).

Logan and Storm lounged on the bed. "So… was this a good idea or what?" Wolverine asked. "Dump those kids with the other two adults, then take off for a romantic getaway with my darling witch."

Storm giggled. "You always know the sweet thing to say."

***

Forge shrugged. "We're on our own for another week. Come on, guys. Get Rahne and Sam and let's get out of here."

Roberto, on a crutch, had been filled in by the others. "Ooh, bad news about Rahne and Sam…"

***

In the air, Forge flew the jet while conversing with Roberto. "So they really decided to stay?"

"Yeah."

"And Sam was bitten by a werewolf?"

"Yeah."

Forge sighed. "It's just… sad, you know? Do nay of us have someone who respects us, cares about us so much, as to be that loyal?"

Roberto thought. "I don't know… you know, Ray and Tabitha have a relationship, and Amara and I have a relationship, but I wonder if any of us would be willing to do that?"

Forge shook his head. "It's a good question."

AN: That's all, everyone. But fear not! Next fic, "Shadowed Light," to be posted soon.


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